Growth of Public Libraries in

Nebraska

Charley SeaveyNebraska Library

CommissionMarch 22, 2001

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Alliance

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Where We Are Going...

•Prior to the 1850s•Founding of Boston Public

Library•Growth , 1850s-1890

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The Rest of the Story….

•The Carnegie Era•Post WWII Developments•Nebraska

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Auburn, Then and Now1926…………….1996

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Pre- “Public” Libraries

•Social Libraries

–Plain vanilla–Athenaeum –Mercantile Libraries

•Circulating Libraries

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Boston, MA, Public Library

• Boston, 1850• Enabling

Legislation• Social

Purpose?• Trustees

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0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1850 1860 1870 1880 1890Year

Growth, 1850-1890

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Lincoln PL 1902 or So

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Mr. Carnegie’s Money

• $40,000,000+

• 1418 Towns nationwide

• 65 in Nebraska

• More later

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1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

N o

f Lib

raries

1890 1900 1910 1920Year

Growth, 1890-1920

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The Kearney Carnegie

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Post-Carnegie, or The Rest of the Story

•The Great Depression•World War II•Library Services Act, 1956•Library Services and

Construction Act, 1964

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Nebraska, the 1870s

•Population 122,993•16,083 of whom live in

Omaha

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States with PLs, 1872

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1870s Nebraska Libraries

• Fort McPherson

• Fremont• Lincoln (4

libraries)

• Nebraska City• Omaha (6

libraries)• Peru

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Library Foundings in Nebraska

1872-1984

1867 to 18871887 to 19071907 to 19261926 to 19461946 to 1984

Omha - 1872Lincoln - 1877Crete - 1878Grand Island - 1884Broken Bow- 1885Humboldt - 1885

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Teddy at Grand Island

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Rank by Population Served

•1890• Iowa - 15• Kansas- 19• Nebraska- 26

•1920• Nebraska- 8• Iowa- 12• Kansas 13

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Ceresco PL

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Mr.. Carnegie’s MoneyThe Most Successful States

• 1. Wyoming• 2. Utah• 3. Indiana• 4. Nebraska• 5. California

• 6. Montana• 7. Iowa• 8. South

Dakota• 9. Oregon• 10. Kansas

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Percentages of Carnegie Grants

National Nebraska

Prior to1901

12.6% 4.6%

After1901

87.4% 95.4%

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Weeping Water

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PL is a Community Phenomenon

•Women’s Clubs •Enabling Laws (Home Rule)

•Local Initiative!

The End